ReShape Balloon System for Obesity

Overview
Approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), ReShape is a system of two temporary, interconnected balloons that are inserted into the stomach and then filled with saline to take up space, ensuring that less food is eaten. ReShape is indicated for six-month placement to aid in weight loss in tandem with a 12-month behavior modification program. ReShape may be considered as a treatment for people with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 40 kg/m2 who have failed to lose weight through diet and exercise alone, and who have one or more obesity-related conditions. ReShape is not appropriate for people who have undergone bariatric (weight loss) surgery.

What does it involve?
The goal of ReShape is to take up space in your stomach, making it easier to eat less. During ReShape placement and for six months after removal, you will undergo a 12-month diet and behavior modification program designed help you change habits that promote obesity.

ReShape balloon placement takes place in your doctor’s office. You will be under sedation during the placement process. First, the doctor will insert an endoscope (a slender surgical instrument with a camera) down your throat to inspect your esophagus and stomach. The doctor will then gently insert the ReShape placement tube into your stomach and reinsert the endoscope. Once placed, the two balloons are then filled with 375 or 450 cubic centimeters of saline along with a blue dye. Once the balloons are filled, the fill tube is disconnected and retrieved, and the endoscope is removed. Balloon placement takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

The ReShape balloon system is designed to remain in the stomach for as long as six months. At the end of six months, the balloons will be accessed via endoscopy. You will be under sedation during the endoscopic removal process. During endoscopy, a slender surgical instrument will be inserted into the mouth and down the throat to the stomach. The balloons will be punctured and removed.

While ReShape is in place, you will need to take medication daily to control acid production in your stomach.

If you experience blue-green urine, this is a sign that the balloons have leaked, and you should call your doctor immediately.

Recovery
ReShape balloon placement and removal are outpatient procedures.

Results
In a clinical study involving 326 people, those who used ReShape and followed a diet and behavior modification program lost an average of 2.3 times more weight than those who only followed the program. Sixty-five percent of the weight loss was maintained for six months after balloon removal. After removal, 25 percent of participants continued to lose weight.

Constraints
ReShape may not be effective for you.

Common side effects of the ReShape system include vomiting, nausea, belching, heartburn, abdominal pain, sore throat, and bloating, most of which were temporary for many participants in the trial.

Rare but serious side effects of ReShape include stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, and obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract requiring surgery.

Rarely, endoscopy can cause bleeding, bruising, swelling, or perforation of the esophagus.

You will need to change your lifestyle significantly during ReShape placement, and maintain these changes after ReShape removal to maintain your weight loss results.

If you lose a lot of weight quickly during ReShape placement, you may develop significant amounts of loose skin. Some people feel embarrassed about the way the loose skin looks, and some choose to have plastic surgery to remove it.

Depending on your diagnosis and what type of healthcare insurance plan you have, your plan may not cover all or any of the costs of ReShape.

For more details about this treatment, visit:
ReShape – ReShape Medical
https://reshapeready.com/

Upper endoscopy – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/end...